A Game Of Fangs: SYOC
by Vampire from Lorien
Summary: Serenity Malko is a vampire. She has the will to survive and the skills. But she lacks the confidence she needs to kill a human. In this world, it is hunt or be hunted. Serenity knows the choice she has to make, but can she do it? Can she let her savage side out in order to win the Hunger Games? -This is a SYOC story. Please join serenity and give her friends and enemies.
1. Chapter 1

**_Hello all you fans of The Hunger Games and The Chronicles Of Vladimir Tod! This is Vampire From Lorien. I am pleased to announce that I now have an account on Fictionpress. com with the same name (Vampire From Lorien). This is my first crossover and my first SYOC. YAY!_**

**_I don't, in any way, own The Chronicles Of Vladimir Tod or The Hunger Games. Those ideas are not mine. If they were, I would not be writing fan fiction for them. I apologize for the long author's not and for the short chapter. Now, on to it!_**

Chapter 1: A DAY OF FEAR

My name is Serenity. As in peace, calmness, quietness. My life is anything but serene. I live in District 10. We are responsible for the livestock. I guess I am lucky to be living where I do. It helps with my, er…specific appetite. I am 15 years old, and I live alone. All my family is dead. Gone. I can take care of myself, though. I am a survivor.

Today is the day of the reaping for the 100th annual hunger games. The fourth quarter quell. I have heard it is going to be something huge. All I know for sure is that all the names in the bowl have been doubled. Now I have twice the chance of getting reaped. Whoopdy-friggin-doo!

I don't rush to get up. Placing my feet on the cool wooden floor, I walk to the small closet at the other end of my room. In the darkest corner in the back of the tiny space, is a white dress. The dress itself is lovely. The white lace of the boat neck collar, the satin strip of material that ties in the back, the knee-length skirt. It is what the garment symbolizes that is ugly. It represents a day of stress and a day of darkness. My stomach tightens at the sight of it.

The dress swishes around my pale legs as I walk, following the line of girls my age. Peacekeepers watch along all sides, blocking the view of the boys' lines. For the most part, the peacekeepers stay out of our business. I hear many kids crying. Today is a day of fear. The line slowly moves forward.

The smell is nearly unbearable. I am positive that only I can smell it. The other people in my district don't understand. The girl in front of me gets her finger pricked. I hold my breath as my fangs slide out of my gums. I should have fed last night. Blood is taken from my pointer finger, and I move to stand with the other girls. I don't know many of them in person, though I do know all their names. I know the names of every person in this district. We l probably look like a heard of cattle, waiting to be called off and butchered. That is how the capital seems to see us.

At last all the kids from age 9 to 18 are here. A lady steps forward and puts her lips to the microphone on the enormous platform.

"Hello, district 10. My name is Cassandra Drey. Welcome to the reaping of the 100th annual hunger games. The fourth quarter quell. How exciting! The number of times a person's name has been entered has been doubled…" She drones on and on before we get to watch the tape. The same one as last year and every year before that. How exciting! My ears perk up as Cassandra announces that the time has come to reap this year participants.

"…and may the odds be ever in your favor." She walks over to a large bowl on her right.

"Ladies first." Her hand dives into the bowl and digs around. Not one soul is breathing. Cassandra Drey's heels click across the stage back to where the microphone is so patiently waiting. A long pause to build up the suspense.

She finally speaks. "Serenity Malko is this year's lovely female contestant!"

"Shit." My heart stops, and my feet move without my permission.

"Come on up here deary" A big, warm, fake smile is given to me. It takes ages to get up onto the platform. "Is there anything you would like to say?" She places the microphone to my mouth.

"Shit." I have lost all other words in my vocabulary. She gives a me a look before smiling and moving on to the next victim.

"Okay. Now for our handsome young man." I close my eyes and tune her out, waiting to wake up from this awful dream. I know that I won't.

**_Well that is the end of this chapter. Sorry it is so short. _**

**_Serenity: It wasn't short for me!_**

**_Me: Who asked you?_**

**_Serenity: -.-_**

**_Okay this is a SYOC. This means I want you to submit your own character. I need one more vampire, and it has to be a boy older than 14. You can decide the rest: powers, looks, personality, good or evil. I then need at least 22 other characters. All characters will be appreciated. Be aware, the character you send me may die. Please submit your person with this info: Gender, age, looks, personality, good or evil, ally?, If there is any romance (may or may not be used), and district. If you are that one lucky person who sends in my vampire boy, make sure to say that he is a vamp._**

**_Thanks all of you!_**

**_Please note that I will not update until I get at least five characters. And will not update until I get my boy vamp._**

**_Toodles!_**


	2. Chapter 2: Kingdom Come

**_Hey guys. Vampire From Lorien is back! I haven't gotten any reviews yet, and I am impatient. So here is some inspiration for you all. _**

**_I need characters! I will not continue with the story until I get at least one review. Just one! _**

**_This chapter is a filler telling how serenity became a vampire. There is some violence and gore (just a little), so if you skip that, read the end where there is some valuable information._**

**_I don't own the following: The Hunger Games, The Chronicles Of Vladimir Tod, or the song "Kingdom Come". It is sung by The Civil Wars and is the song on which this chapter is based. _**

**_Serenity: I don't like this story._**

**_Me: Too bad. You're telling it._**

**_Serenity: -.- enjoy my pain…_**

Chapter 2: Kingdom Come

I ran as fast as my nine-year-old legs would carry me. Mommy and Daddy were behind me and in front of the bad man chasing us. We were running through a huge meadow where the animals would feed. A storm was in full motion. I was cold. I was scared.

I slipped and fell in the mud, and mommy screamed. Daddy picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. The bad man was hurting Mommy. I saw his face at her neck, and I saw blood. Mommy was crying. Then she went to sleep. Daddy cursed, held me closer, and ran faster, nearly slipping every other step. Suddenly I flew forward. The bad man grinned as he pulled Daddy back by his ankle. Daddy looked at me, horrified.

"Go! Hide! Wait for me to get you!" Daddy yelled at me. He was crying. A scream of pain passed his lips as the bad man bit his throat like he did to Mommy. I ran and dove into a hole in a lonely tree just big enough for me. I hugged my knees and tried to stop crying. I knew Daddy would not be coming to get me. I knew Mommy was gone. I knew I was alone. I waited for the bad man to come get me too.

A hand reached out of the darkness and pulled my long, black hair. I cried out as I fell to the ground. The bad man grinned at me a vampire grin. I span out of his grasp and ran faster still. He was playing with me. I knew he could catch me. I had a just a short way to go before I reached my house. It was a lonely house very near to the meadow. I did not stop crying as I ran. Thunder laughed at me from above. The sky did not understand my panic.

I slipped again and fell down next to a tree that Daddy had planted by the house many years ago. It occurred that the tree had grown big just as Daddy had said it would. The bad man grabbed my hair and pulled my head back. He looked into my baby-blue eyes and then tilted his head down.

He sank his long, sharp fangs into my small neck. I screamed and thrashed. I did not get away.

I was nearly unconscious when the bad man pulled his mouth away from me. My eyes widened in horror as he put his wrist to his mouth and bit himself. He then put his wrist in my mouth, and I tasted the coppery blood of the bad man. I felt my insides start to shift. It hurt and tickled at the same time. It felt numb.

Lightning hit Daddy's tree. It fell, missing me by mere inches. The bad man was not lucky at all. The large tree fell across him. Blood splattered my face. It was not my own. The bad man's insides were squishing out from under the tree. His head was the only other part protruding, half smashed. He grinned before he died. "Welcome to life after death." Then everything went black.

Three days later, most of my district went to my parents' funeral as well as the bad man's. I did not attend. People had found us the morning after the attack. First Mommy, then Daddy, then the bad man. They did not know what happened to them. I was found lying on my parents' bed, staring up at the ceiling. I was covered in blood but had no wounds. They didn't know that I had lost my life.

When I had woken up, my head pounded with the knowledge of what I was. A vampire. I knew I would continue to grow and change until my fledging age came along. At 17, I would not age anymore. I would become a full vampire. My throat ached. I ignored it, but I knew I would have to feed later. I knew that if the bad man had not changed me and had not killed me, I would not have known what had happened. (It is the way a vampire can feed without being exposed. But most choose to kill just for the hell of it). I knew my speed, my strength, and my fangs. They all spoke of death. But I had seen death and felt it. I would not deliver it. From that day, I was an outcast. Not even the peacekeepers came for me. I stayed in my empty house. No one messed with me. I rarely talked. No one cared. I knew I would spend the rest of my life running away from my self. From the monster I had become. I knew I would eventually be caught. I would only tell of the night I died when I could run no longer.

_Run, run, run away_

**_Wow. This was my first songfic. I know it is short. I am still in need of characters! Please don't make me create my own!_**

**_If you have a specific role that you would like your character to play, please tell me. If any of you have any songs that would fit this story, again, please tell me. _**

**_Now, REVIEW!_**

**_I'll be waiting to hear from you all._**

**_Toodles!_**


	3. Chapter 3: Starts With Goodbye

**_Hello, loves! I'm back from the dead. _**

**_Serenity: Me too!_**

**_Me: Shush I have important things to say!_**

**_Serenity: She doesn't own The Hunger Games or COVT._**

**_Me: But I do own you._**

**_Serenity: -.-_**

**_Me: I also don't own the song. It belongs to Carrie Underwood. Now, onto it!_**

**_Chapter 3: Starts With Goodbye_**

_Ow. Wake up. Ow. Wake up. Ow. Wake the hell up!_ I sit in a small room pinching myself and hoping to open my eyes to my own bedroom ceiling. Of course, that does not happen. I sigh. I am trying and nearly succeeding at keeping my mind off of my district's male tribute. He is probably being visited by his family now. Maybe even some friends. I know no one will come to see me. I am alone.

Nearly half an hour later, my door is opened to three peacekeepers, ready to escort me to the train that will take me to the capitol. _Ow. Wake up. Ow. Wake up. Ow. Wake up before I run out of places to pinch!_

Cassandra Drey awaits us at the train's entrance. "Welcome Miss Serenity! You must be so excited. In two days we will be at the capitol. Your fellow tribute is already on board, so up you go!"

I am pushed up onto the plush carpet of a well furnished room. With wide eyes, I survey everything around me. I take in the large soft-looking furniture, the large television, the huge table, and the windows adorning the sides of the room. A man appears in the doorway to my right. He looks to be about in his twenties. He gives me a small, sympathetic smile, as though he knows how I feel at the moment. He moves to approach me, and I watch him warily. I can not trust anybody. I learned that the hard way.

"Hello, Serenity. My name is Dake. I'll be your mentor this year. I've already spoken to your friend. He's a moody one. Anyway—"

"He's not my friend." I cut him off.

"What?" Dake seems confused at my outburst.

"I said he is not my friend."

He looks me over before nodding. "Your room is down the hallway behind you. It's the last one to your left. Be back in here by 7:00 for dinner and to watch the reapings."

I nod and head in the direction of my room. I sit down on the bed to find that it is surprisingly soft. As the train starts to move, I stare through the large window in my room. I am leaving the place where I have grown up. The place I lost my parents forever. The place where I lost my own life. I may never return to my home. Maybe this will end it all. Maybe this is for the best.

_It's sad, but sometimes moving on with the rest of your life starts with goodbye. _

"Goodbye." My voice cracks. I lie back on my bed and do what I haven't done since I was nine. I cry. I have never felt more alone. I let my fangs slide down to keep me company before I fall asleep. I don't know how I am going to get through this. Eventually, my secret is going to get out.

_Knock! Knock knock knock! _My eyes open to the sound of flesh on wood. A female voice yells at me to get up and go to the main room. I really hate Cassandra Drey. I take a deep breath in and wince. Bad idea. I really should have fed last night. This will not end well. I rub the crap out of my eyes and trudge to the main room. _I hate crying. I hate the games. I hate that flower vase. Wow. I am just a little ray of sunshine today. Ugh. Sunshine. I hate that too. _I am in a bad mood.

Cassandra greets me with a bright smile. I just glare at her as we take our seats. She and Dake eat the meal set before us. I glare at the food as does the boy. I ignore him for the most part. The only tributes who aren't upset right now are the ones from districts One, Two, and Three. I hate those careers. I always have and I always will.

"Eat up dears. We can't let this good food go to waste." Cassandra is starting to sound annoyed. Good.

"I'm not hungry." It isn't a lie. I am thirsty. My stomach growls. Traitor. Dake gives me a strange look. I can understand why. Thought the food is probably very appetizing to a human, it only looks like random mush to me. I could eat it if I wanted to, but it would not sustain me.

"Me neither." My 'fellow tribute' stands and walks to what I assume is his room.

"And another one bites the dust." Dake mumbles under his breath. I am starting to like this guy. I have always appreciated a little bit of wit in conversation. I would like to bite something, though. How am I going to pull this off? I am so screwed.

"It's time!" Cassandra says in her sing song voice. She grabs my arm and pulls me to the couch. I yank back like I've been burned. I seal my lips together. I no longer have control of my fangs. As much as I hate her, Cassandra Drey smells very appetizing. I scoot to the very edge of the couch and stare at the screen.

Dake leans over as he takes a seat next to me. I hold my breath. "Pay close attention to the tributes. It could mean the difference between life and death." I do as I am told. I decide to only watch closely for the careers. The rest I can meet during training. _Oh no! I am already starting to think like a tribute!_

District One comes up one the television. District one makes the luxury items that are all used by the capitol. This year's tributes surprise me. A young girl is called up by the name of Crystal. The blonde hair and the blue eyes make her look innocent enough. Then it is announced that she is only nine. My jaw drops. None has volunteered yet. There is no way a career district would let such a young girl participate in the games. Still no volunteer. A boy's name is draw but replaced with a volunteer. The young boy who walks up to the stage looks exactly like the girl. His name is Kane. They are siblings. Twins. _They are only nine years old! _Not one person steps up. I look over to Dake and Cassandra. They look to be in the same state I am in; total disbelief.

District Two comes up on the screen. I guess it is set then. District Two represents stone. All of the tributes from there are insanely strong. Most of them have deadly aim. They are the ones to watch out for. The female volunteer has Red hair and brown eyes. She is has the name of Raila. She looks small, but I know she will be more dangerous because of that. People will underestimate her. The male tribute, Tyse, has dark hair and bright eyes. The muscle in his arms shows he has been trained properly. He is 18 just like the girl.

District Three is known for general electronics. All of the tributes from there know what they are doing when it comes to planning and building. The girl from there is named Spirit. She is 18 and has brown hair. Her district partner has the same. His name is Mace.

Dake looks back over to me as District Four shows up. "These kids will not be your only enemies, but they are the ones you need to watch out for. Get it?"

"Got it."

"Good."

The rest of the tributes are average. I will have to pay special attention to District Seven though. The guy from there looks kind of scary. Seven specializes in lumber.

After the rest of the reapings, I dodge a long conversation with Cassandra and go to my room. I lie down and pull the fluffy, white comforter over my head. I don't have to sleep, but most of the time I do. It gives me a small break from real life. Unless of course, I dream. When I do dream, it is never good. It is almost always a memory. I let my mind go blank, and soon I am lost in the deep blackness that is sleep.

_I am on stage. All of district Ten is watching as I stand there frozen to my spot. My mother is crying. She runs up on stage and falls to the ground at my feet. _

_"You failed me. Now you have lost me forever and it is all your fault! Why? Don't you love me?!" Mom has blood running down her face. Down her neck. _

_"Yes, Mommy of course I love you. I didn't mean for you to get hurt!" I am sobbing now on my knees by her head._

_"__If you hadn't of been out exploring so late, this wouldn't have happened. You caused this. You killed both of us." A voice came from behind me. Dad crawled over to where Mom was and collapsed. He was bleeding also. Bone was sticking out of his ankle. _

_"__I'm sorry. I am so sorry. It was an accident. I didn't mean for this to happen! Please don't leave me. You are all I have!" I hold them close, still sobbing._

_"__You did this. I was all you. You killed the only family you had. Now you have no one!" My parents speak as one person. I scream and clamp my eyes closed._

_The cameras are laughing at me. It starts to rain, and the rain quickly turns to blood, bathing my entire district in it. People start to fall down. I open my eyes to see who is killing all of my people. My family. My friends. I look up and scream realizing that I had done this. That I had just drained the blood out of every person her ever cared for me. The bad man's laughter echoes all around. I cover my ears and close my eyes again. Shadows swarm around me, pulling me across the ground. I scream and scream, but no one comes to help me. I am all alone. _

_I sit in the field where the animals feed. Blood rains down on me. I open my mouth to catch some. It tastes so good. I close my eyes._

Suddenly my eyes open. I can still taste the blood from my dream. I am not in my room. I am on a train heading for the capitol. But this is not the room I was assigned. I hear a heartbeat. It is faint. I look to my right and see Cassandra Drey lying on her bed. There is blood on her neck and her sheets. My eyes widen. I had just fed from her in my sleep. That has never happened before. Her heartbeat is getting stronger. Thank the world that I did not kill her. I could not have lived with myself if I did.

Still shaking, I run back to my room. It takes only seconds, using my speed. I break down. It is all too much to take in. The games. The tributes. The dream. It is the first time I have ever fed on a human. It scares me to death. I am still shaking when darkness consumes me again. I do not dream anymore. My thirst is satiated for now.

**_OOOHHHH a cliffy! How was that? I think I made it long enough. Tell me what you think. _**

**_Anyway, I have a few shout outs. A special thanks to Hoplite39 who gave me my first review and who is my first follower. Thank you D The Knight who has also followed me. You guys mean a lot to me. Also a shout out to my best friend Megan who gave me some characters. You have all inspired me to write this chapter. _**

**_I still don't have my vampire boy. _****_If I get him and maybe five other characters I will be set to go. You can submit more than one. _****_  
_**

**_Please review and Submit Your Own Character. It is an SYOC after all. ;) Thanks to all who are reading. _**

**_Toodles! _**


	4. Chapter 4: Damage Control

**_Well, lovely readers. I'm back again with another chapter. Why so soon? I have no life…don't judge me. I have an extra special thank you to Hoplite39 who has provided me with my vampire boy and his story along with another tribute. A lot of ideas have come from Hoplite39, and I just write as my brain poops out words. _**

**_Disclaimer: I only own Serenity my characters and have been given custody of the ones submitted. I do not own The Hunger Games or COVT._**

**_Serenity: This chapter does not involve me. YAY!_**

**_Me: She is correct. This chapter is in two different POV's; Alex's and Sadie's. You will get to know them in this chappie._**

**_Alex: Did she just say chappie?_**

**_Sadie: I'm afraid so._**

**_Serenity: I'm used to it. I've lived in her brain for years._**

**_I should have said this in previous chapters: If anything seems familiar, it is merely a coincidence. Onto it! District Eleven represents agriculture, just so you know._**

**_Warning: There will be harsh language in this chapter. It is rated T for a reason._**

Chapter 4: Damage Control

_2 years earlier. _

_The snow was falling in heavy sheets in District Eleven. A small pale boy dressed only in thin rags for clothes walked to the nearest doorstep. He did not feel the cold but acted as though he were freezing to death. A girl the age of eleven opened the door. She took in the boy's tiny frame and called to her mother who came quickly to the door. It took no time at all for the family to take in the young child who claimed to be only nine, though he looked to be around twelve years old. They loved him like he was their son. In all the time he spent at that house, the family never saw him eat. They never saw him change. The community in which he was residing was starting to notice a trend of deaths. The boy knew it was time to move on._

_His white-blonde hair and Green eyes were the last things they saw before they died. The boy left only the girl alive. He didn't know why. He had been through this before and had left nobody alive. Why did he leave this insignificant girl still breathing? The last he saw of the girl was her small frame under the table, trembling with the grief of watching her family get murdered by her vampire step-brother. _

_The boy moved on to the next community as he had done for eighty years now. He fed until the deaths were noticed, killed the family that had taken him in, and left to hide in the next community. _

_The girl's uncle moved in to take care of her. He knew what had happened. The girl stood bravely as her uncle explained the crisis. For the next two years, he trained her in the skills of a Slayer. She learned to make her own stakes out of resources. She was very well practiced with the ax. She was a Slayer. Her uncle tracked vampires all over the district, and they moved from community to community to rid them of the fanged creatures. Just a year and a half later, the girl's uncle was killed the very thing they were hunting. The girl moved to a new district and stayed. She practiced and practiced. The promise she made to herself was that she would kill every vampire in the world to redeem the lives of her mother and father. She would stop for nothing. The vampire boy named Alex would die at her hands._

**Present: The day of the reaping**

**Alex's POV**

My eyes scan the crowed gathered around the makeshift stage. It is the day of the reaping for the 100th annual hunger games. I can't stop thinking about the attack that happened two days ago. How could I not have seen it coming?

_Flashback: It was late at night as I walked down the streets. I had just fed and would not need to feed again for three days. I heard a slight noise and turned to see a girl leaning against a tree. She looked familiar. Surely I hadn't fed and left someone alive, had I? _

_The girl stepped forward and spoke. "I finally found you, you son of a bitch."_

_"__Do I know you?" The connection was beginning to take place, but I just wasn't there._

_She smirked. "My name is Sadie. Ring a bell?" _

**_Oh, shit!_** _I played it cool. "Yeah, I remember you now." It was my turn to smirk. I let my fangs slip back out of my gums menacingly. "Your parents were delicious."_

_At this the girl, Sadie, rushed forward and brought a stake out of her jacket. It was flung toward my heart. My eyes widened and I dodged out of the way just in time. I ran to my temporary home as fast as my legs would carry me. I did not go outside the next day, but I watched as Sadie walked down my street on the lookout. This is going to end in one of us dying._

I shake myself out of the memory as the first name is pulled out of a large bowl. I have missed the entire rest of the ceremony! In this district, we pick our male tribute first. I still don't get it, and I have lived here for more than eighty years!

"Alex Tywell" Well, damn! This is a change of pace. Fear, actual fear, trickles into me as I make my twelve-year-old frame walk up onto the stage. Our mentor is a hopeless drug addict. The other tribute will have no chance. I don't let myself feel saddened by this thought. If I let in any emotions, I could die. I would think about my parents. Emotions are the most dangerous things in the world. I have learned to get rid of them. I pull out of my thoughts again as a girl begins to walk up. I had missed the drawing. I have to stop doing this that.

"I volunteer!" Fear gets a hold on me for just a moment when I hear that voice. The girl with the unmistakable red hair walks forward with a smirk on her face. She makes it to the stage and is asked what her name is.

"Sadie Reyheiker. I am sixteen years old." Applause is given for the benefit of tradition as we are led to our rooms.

My newest "family" comes in immediately. They say goodbye, and I try my best to act emotional. At the last second I pull my "mother" back into the room to feed. I leave her alive so as not to gain suspicion, and she walks off looking dazed.

Peacekeepers escort me onto the train, and fear begins to bubble inside of me. I will have to keep my guard up. If I don't, Sadie may end my life, er…death…whatever. No mistakes can be made at this point.

**Sadie's POV**

I almost had the damn vamp that took my family away from me. I was so close! I now scan the gathered kids and teens for any sign of him. I spot him in the group of twelve-year-old boys. I had done my research on him. He is over eighty years old, and he goes from town to town killing families. I almost cheer as his name is called to be the male tribute for District Eleven. It gives me a perfect opportunity. As soon as a girl's name is called, I volunteer. I don't care about winning the hunger games. All I care about is killing the boy, the vampire, standing up on that stage. The flash of fear I see in his eyes gives me a thrill as I say my name into the mic.

Applause follows me to the room they put me in. Of course not even one person comes to visit me. I don't care. This is the moment I have been waiting for. I remember all of the training my uncle gave me.

_Flashback: "Keep your core strong. Tighten your stomach and your legs. Be aware of everything around you." I do as my uncle tells me. "Good. Now close your eyes. What do you hear?"_

_I listen. "Nothing."_

_"__You are not listening hard enough. Vampires feed at night. You can not see in the dark. Rely on your ears. Be a part of the air around you. Now, what do you hear?"_

_"__I hear you breathing. Now you are smiling. It is a little windy outside. You just took two steps closer to me."_

_"__Very well done. Tell me, how fast is the wind moving?"_

_"__Five miles an hour."_

_"__It is six. Where am I in relation to you?"_

_I heard as he took five steps. I listen to his breathing and picture him in my mind. "You are four feet behind me and two feet to my left. You are leaning forward on your toes. You are—"I jump out of the way as he lunges at me._

_He smiles proudly when I open my eyes. "You are ready for your weapon." Excitement built within me as he showed me how to create a stake, then how to use very little recourse for a stake. I was an expert with the ax and the hatchet. I chose the hatchet as my back up weapon. My training would be over as soon as I killed my first vampire. _

_That night, I picked up the stake I had crafted and a hatchet. Lots of people were out late that night. _

_"__Look around. Do you see any vampires?" I used my training and new abilities to search. I closed my eyes until I picked up on a different type of walk. Vampires hold themselves differently from humans. I opened my eyes. _

_I whispered to my uncle. "The tall man with the black coat by the ally."_

_"__Good. You know what to do." _

_I nodded and started to walk by the man. I pricked the end of my finger on the edge of my hatchet which was hidden well under my coat with my stake. The man grabbed my arm and pulled me into the ally. He pinned me against the side of the building, but before he could bite me, I brought my knee up. It landed where even a vampire hates to be hit. He stumbles back, but lunged forward without pause. A growl erupted from his throat. I brought the stake up under his ribs and watched as he crumpled to the ground. I had perfected my aim months ago. I checked to make sure he was dead. Then I signaled to my uncle in a Slayer's Whistle, indicating a kill. He stepped into the ally and nodded. I saw pride for me in his eyes. I knew I had done well. I was an official Slayer._

I am the first to board the train. The mentor has locked himself in his room. Then Alex steps on. I grin at him and he returns it with a flash of his fangs.

I speak first. "Welcome to hell."

"Looking for fame Slayer? Or are just stupid enough to think you can beat me."

"I'm not here to win, vamp." My grin widens as he narrows his eyes.

"Then why are you here?"

"Damage control."

**_Wow. Intense. What did you think? You can all thank Hoplite39 for his awesomeness. He inspired me to get another chapter done today._**

**_Please review if you guys are reading this. It means a lot to me._**

**_Do you think I need to make my chapters longer? I need to know this. If they are shorter like this, I can update more often. If they are longer, I'll update less frequently. Ideas are always welcome so don't be shy. If you have a certain way you want somebody to act, tell me. I you want something specific to happen in the story, please don't hesitate to tell me._**

**_Anywho, Please review. All flames will be used to burn down the capitol._**

**_Toodles! _**


	5. Chapter 5: Don't Wake Me

**_Hello there peoplez! I know I haven't updated in forever, but now I am. :)_**

**_I don't own The Hunger Games or COVT. I also don't own the song. "Don't Wake Me" belongs to an amazing band called Skillet._**

**_Dawson: Hahaha. You don't own them. _**

**_Me: Shut up. You haven't been introduced yet. _**

**_Dawson: Make me. _**

**_Me: I own you. I can make you do whatever I want. Mwahahaha!_**

**_Dawson: O.O_**

**_Serenity: Get used to it. It never gets better. _**

Chapter 5: Don't Wake Me

**Serenity's POV**

I yawn and stretch out my stiff limbs. Feeling good, I relax into the plush covers. _Crap!_ This isn't my bed. This isn't my room. My heart sinks as I remember last night's events. I had fed from a human. I shiver and take a huge breath. She won't remember, but the blood on her pillow will cause some worry. _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! _I open my eyes and squint in the morning sun. Being fully awake, I have an odd feeling. District eleven comes to mind. Something about the reaping yesterday bothers me. I think about it as I get up and throw on the clothes laid out for me.

As I make my way down the hallway, I listen to the ongoing conversation in the main room. I am the last one up. I pass a mirror and notice the blood still on my lips. I quickly wipe it off.

A high pitched voice follows laughter. "So I figured I must have bit my tongue or something, but I have no idea. Are you guys sure you didn't put something in my food?"

Oh. The blood. At least Cassandra thought of a plausible reason for it. Some of my tension goes away. I am still wary, though.

"Good morning serenity. Are you ready for your first day of training?" Dake's voice calms me down. I don't know why, but just being around him makes me comfortable. He reminds me a little bit of my father. The idea lodges an ice-cycle of sadness in my heart. I push it back. Today, Dake's eyes are guarded, like he is watching for something.

"Training already? I thought we wouldn't reach the capitol until tomorrow."

Cassandra, of course, has to make herself heard. "Of course we won't silly! Dake just wants to go over some basics with you and Dawson." Dawson? Oh. The other tribute.

"Oh."

Breakfast continues. I am the only one who doesn't eat. The looks given to me are a mixture of worried, confused, and curious. Cassandra soon excuses herself and leaves the room. I guess training has begun. The games are becoming more real for me now, less like a dream. Reality is like a bullet. You never really know what's coming until it hits you.

"Let's start with skills. What did you guys do back in your district? What has your family taught you?" Dake gets straight to the point. Normally these things would be discussed during the actual training with an actual trainer. I guess we are lucky to have such an involved mentor.

Dawson spoke up first. He seemed a bit less stressed today, almost as though he wanted the games to begin. "I helped herd the cattle and keep them under control as they fed. My mother taught me how to sew stitches if they were ever needed. My parents are the doctors in my community, so they also taught me fist aide." He is very willing to give information. That will get him killed in the games. I sneak a peek into his thoughts.

_They showed me how to prepare a body for a funeral. I helped with serenity's parents. I wonder if she knows that. That was a weird day. They almost didn't seem dead._

Well now I know.

Dake nods his head. "Very good. You are vigilant which will help you in the arena. Medical skills are important too. I assume you know some plants that have medicinal qualities?"

"Yes."

"Good. Keep an eye out for those in the arena. Keep some with you at all times. Got it?"

"Got it."

"How about you, serenity?"

"I…hunted." It is no secret that when the time comes to butcher the animals, people go out for fun to 'hunt' them.

Dake looks me over. It bothers me how he keeps doing that. "Then you are skilled with weapons?"

"…Yes."

"Close up or long distance?"

"A little of both."

"Excellent. Is there anything that your family has taught you?" He sounds as though he knew something of value, and just wants to confirm it.

"My family is dead." How many times have I had to say those words? Silence fills the room until Dake clears his throat.

"The game makers are looking for hand to hand combat. How are you with that?" He gets the conversation back on track. He does not apologize like most people. I appreciate that. Apologizing does not bring someone back from the dead.

"Yeah, I'm okay with it." Dawson has pride in his voice. I have a feeling his better than he will let on. I give a curt nod of my head. I have never needed the skill. I have more strength than any human. Dake looks pleased with the responses. He is about to say something else when Dawson opens his mouth again. "Do you know what's so special about this year's games? It's the quell, and so far, nobody has said anything about it." _Not to self: Stay away from Dawson. He is a lot like Cassandra._

Leaning forward slightly, Dake speaks. "Yes. I was just getting to that. The capitol has come up with some incredible new technology. It is scary actually. When a tribute goes in for their first training session, they are offered a bargain. If they have something valuable with them, they can trade it for the reward of a power."

I am intrigued by this. I had not brought anything from home with me like most tributes do. "A power?"

"A power. The capitol will surgically alter their DNA. They are going to mutate them. The careers obviously have the advantage. They have known about this since the capitol decided on it. Every one of them has something of extreme value."

Dawson is even more interested than I am. "What kind of powers?" He pulls out a gold pocket watch. Most likely pure gold.

"No one will have the same power. I only know of a few: strength, speed, telekinesis, and maybe flying. Those are all I know of for sure." _Yes, yes, no, kind of. _I have most of those powers right there. I can't fly, but I can…levitate…or hover.

The rest of the day passes uneventfully. I keep getting glances from Dake, which unnerves me, Dawson is back to ignoring people in his room, and Cassandra is still away. After getting out of eating lunch, I wander to my room and get lost in my thoughts. My head is like an unsolvable maze. Once you get in, there is no escaping. The problem that is assaulting my mind is what has been bothering me for nearly seven years. My thirst. I don't know what I am going to do about it. There is no way to feed in the capitol that I know of. In the arena, cameras will be everywhere. Unless I want to risk exposing what I am, I can't feed there. My parents would have known what to do. I would do anything to have them back.

The clock beside be makes weird chirping noises, signaling to me that it is dinner time. I head out to the main room, avoid conversation, and force myself to eat without making any faces. I eat but fail to contain my disgust. Dake still gives me strange glances now and then. It is starting to drive me crazy. He acts like he needs to tell me something but doesn't know how. Or like he's not allowed to. The meal finally ends, and with one excruciating smile, I go lie in my bed. Sleep overtakes me quickly. I have littered my floor with as many items I could find in order to avoid another episode of sleepwalking.

_It is summertime. I am lying under a large grouping of trees on soft, green grass. Birds are singing, and bugs are chirping, filling the air with a melody unlike any other. A small river trickles somewhere nearby. A breeze blows sweet-smelling air into my lungs. My parents laugh as they walk over to me. In their arms are a blanket and a basket overflowing with fresh food. We lay out the blanket to sit on then pass the food around. We laugh and share stories and tell jokes. We are a family, happy, and together. This is my world where nothing could ever go wrong. _

_Don't wake me, 'cause I never want to leave this dream. _

**Unknown POV**

I saw her get picked for the games. I watched as she walked up to the stage and cursed. At that point I smiled. She is a lot like me. My wife, Sarah, was standing beside me watching her too. We had seen her struggle through her mind. We watched her grow up and mature, leaving her childhood far sooner than she should have.

I watch her now on a train bound for the capitol. She is struggling now more than ever. I wish I could hold her, tell her everything is going to be fine. But I can only watch her through her mind for right now. I send her a sweet dream. I send her to a happy time.

Sarah walks up to me. I smile at her and kiss her cheek. "It's time." She takes a deep breath and nods. Together, we walk to go tell the others.

**Alex's POV**

The first day on the train was a mess. Little miss slayer followed me everywhere to study everything I did in every way possible. At supper that night, she twirled her knife around, taunting me. I threw a fork at her and was told to save it for the arena. Not that I was any better. I just didn't bother her. I spent my time watching the reaping, breaking and entering into the mind of every tribute. The girl from district Ten intrigued me. She thought differently than the others. I would have to keep an eye on her. Sadie seemed interested, too, though she tried not to show it.

Today I stay in my room the whole day. I focus on everything I know. I spend plenty of time in Sadie's brain getting to know her. Her thoughts are random. It is only when she thinks _I know you're in there _that I know she knows I am listening in on her thoughts. I don't have time to ponder how she knows, before a soft knock comes to the door. A voice asks if I am hungry. I answer with the same thing I always do, no. I am bored, and it is dark out, so I close my eyes and hope not to dream. With dreams come emotions. And emotions are never healthy.

**_Well, what do you think? I hope this was good enough for not updating in such a long time. There is a lot happening here. School is starting on Tuesday (the 21) and I have a lot to get ready. _**

**_Alex: She is just making up excuses. _**

**_Sadie: Yep_**

**_Serenity: You guys need to watch what you say. She could make anything happen to you. Anything._**

**_Sadie/Alex: O.O_**

**_Me: Mwahaha!_**

**_One more thing. Is anyone else looking forward to the new Duck Dynasty tonight? I know I am._**

**_Okay, if you review, I will give you a virtual llama. Review. See that little button? Push it and something magic will happen. _**

**_Toodles! :) _**


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